President's Update September 22, 2025

Happy First Day of Fall - and for our Jewish members, an early Shanah Tovah - 

This school year has not started out as calm as it might appear on the surface. We have many of our educators who are struggling with stress at levels that I have not experienced dealing with since Covid. There is so much on our plates at a time when funding and outside issues are coming into our rooms daily. When district expectations are beyond what they have been in years past. 

I personally wish that I could make this work for each and everyone of you so that it wasn’t an issue of not having enough, or struggling for anything. As I have told people repeatedly - TUSD hires the best and any stress that is already being felt is because you all are the reason there is success in this district. You push yourselves to do what is best daily, you do not do part time or half time work and you expect more from yourselves than even our higher ups. If only you all could see yourselves through my eyes. You are the reason this district succeeds, not just in test scores, but in students who want to come to school, who share a connection to a building and a place, who daily want to do better because you make them a safe place to learn and to be themselves and more importantly, you care. 

Thank you for all that you are doing, above and beyond, while you are being asked to do more with less, and more stress. Daily, you make a difference for students, but also for each other. Please continue to take care of yourselves (close doors and do what you can do with what you can do), and continue to take care of each other. It takes a village and I am so grateful every time I am welcomed into your classrooms that I get to be a part of yours.
Here’s the latest from TEA: 

PROTECTING OURSELVES - 

• CTA has been seeing a troubling campaign to target educators and others for their social media posts and public comments. Some educators here in California—and across the country—are facing doxxing, online harassment, or even potential employment discipline because of their speech. CTA and TEA want to be clear: you are not alone. We are fully committed to supporting every member who experiences these attacks.
• CTA’s Legal and Communications Departments have created an advisory CLICK HERE (available on the members-only section of the CTA website) that outlines your protections and steps you can take.
• Remember: while educators do have First Amendment rights off duty, employers may still take disciplinary action in some circumstances. If you are targeted for your social media posts, public comments or speech, please report it right away to the TEA President and CTA staff so we can respond quickly and support you.
• A quick checklist to help for now:
  • Double check and tighten your privacy settings.
  • Remove any personal contact information. 
  • Avoid listing district or school site names in online profiles.
  • Reach out to TEA & CTA staff with questions or concerns.

FALL SOCIAL - 

• Fall Fest at BJ’s will be Thursday, October 23rd from 3:30-6:00pm - Please come join us for Pizza, Pasta, Pazookies and prizes! We will also have salad if you like to be healthy. Click the picture above to RSVP or click theLINK HERE.

• Our whole contract is open for negotiations this year, which means that all portions may be discussed and worked on over the next 9 months. 
• As with past years we will be starting with Health and Welfare due to having a deadline to complete and vote to move forward for the next insurance year. Contractually we have to have this section complete, changes made and all bargained agreements as it pertains to health and welfare, voted on by the end of the calendar year (Dec. 31, 2025), or any increase automatically reverts back to the membership. 
  • Any and all insurance decisions are made by a committee which makes recommendations to the School Board. TUSD’s School Board makes the final decision on anything, like our moving and changing carriers. All partners (like TEA) each have one seat on the voting committee. TEA also makes sure that our CTA Director, our bargaining chair and the president attend to hear the message and be part of the conversation. 
  • Every district employee should have received a communique last week from TUSD regarding the change in carriers to Cigna. Additional information is due to be released this week, but all costs will not be able to be released until negotiations is done bargaining. 
  • Members who have inquired about plans and more information. The plans and what might be comparable to what you have now may be tied to costs. Please know that the committee, even the nonvoting participants, did everything we could do make sure that those medical groups currently in utilization were available in Cigna, and that medications were to stay within costs as well. When comparing formulary (medication) we were only able to compare the top 25 medications on our current plan. When comparing we are not attaching any member names. 
• Wages - While COLA is looking better than last year (currently projected at 2.3%), wages will still be negotiated after health and welfare. TEA also has made the promise in the past that we would focus on ongoing monies instead of money off schedule so that it would be continue to work in the positive for you (it builds the step and column and adds to retirement) instead of one time monies which is great for a quick addition to wallets, but does not go into your retirement and is that same amount reduction the next year in pay. 

• We were asked where do we get the issues/ ideas to bargain - The easy answer is from YOU the Members…the more detailed is through every survey we send, every question we ask, site visits, input during site rep meetings, and our yearly interactive bargaining surveys at each site. All of that information is taken and combined, there is an ongoing list of items we have brought up the most, there are issues we find that stand out at each site, or level, and this summer our bargaining chair pulled all of the Interactive Bargaining Surveys done last spring. Each response was read, photos were taken of posters, posters were kept in case they are needed for bargaining, and the main things from each was taken to make it the top three in each area from each site and then compared for similarities across the district. All information, whether it was in the top on the charts or not, all ideas will be added as concerns by site and are kept for future reference as other options and ideas are needed. Just because we do not have stipends that are requested, or exact items that are mentioned in our contract, does not mean that items are not discussed and will never be brought up again. We are bringing forward, on a yearly basis, any and all issues that are brought forward to us. 

• Elementary -  Our elementary directors meet monthly with Dr. Maggie Villegas after our Rep councils to bring concerns directly. 
  • TEA has met/ discussed with all five school board members and Dr. Johnson, the following items, and demanded that the following options be looked into - we will continue to work and push for better solutions as we not just hear and understand, but are in awe that with the issues occurring you are still standing and working. 
  • TEA has also heard from those of you who have reached out personally to inquire about mental health leave, medical leave with mental health focus, and additional medical as it pertains to stress and workload. More than hearing we too are concerned with what is being asked and what this is doing in the classroom to teacher mental health and wellbeing. This is another factor as to why we have reached out directly to our School Board and Superintendent. This is bigger than one person at the top and bigger than one answer to solve. 
    • First - we have requested that none of the following where we ask for support and additional time, or help, should fall to our MLS teachers or TOSA’s; we understand that they also could use more time to plan and work and do their jobs as well. This is bigger than just passing it up the ladder and assigning elsewhere. MLS teachers and TOSA’s are doing what they are asked to do, just as classroom teachers are doing what they are being directed to do. 
    • Two New Curriculum in one year/ PLC’s being math only - There is one adopted, and one that is considered being piloted. That said, it is two brand new curricula in the same year. Yes, there was training during the summer, but training does not make for 100% comprehension and ease of access to teach. As part of this - TEA made the request with all School Board that additional planning be offered (at the site level some are doing out of site funds) especially for ELA; a relaxation of the expectations for one or both; A change in how meetings/ PLC’s are run so that ELA may be included and not just math, or to ask at each site what would work best for each site.  
    • Combo teachers and supplies - With the combos and these adoptions there has been several issues brought to our attention:
      • Combos do not have all of the supplies they need to teach each grade. Not the basics, but supplies like actual TEs and consumables/ books for students. Yes, TEs may be online, but not every teacher likes to have things online (it’s hard to mark up the online and leave your helpful sticky notes in an online format) - we were able to point out a few sites I knew of directly and they started receiving some. If you are a combo teacher - or any teacher - who is lacking in the basic supplies to teach the curriculum any of the curriculum (student books, TEs, student reading books) please fill out the following document so that a list may be given to the district. FILL OUT SURVEY HERE. 
      • Combos taking in more students in order to teach the allotted 90 minutes for each. The concern here is that some are sending students out and lowering class size (which we love) and others are receiving the students and are taking their classes well above the contract and Ed. Code level. It might not seem like much, but some sites were able to work with additional staff to lower the size for all (positive) and others seem to have been told this is how they are going to handle the issue of new curriculum. Again - please FILL OUT THE SURVEY HERE to provide information. 
    • Independent Study - Please see the section below. Yes, it is Ed. Code, yes it is not easier for us like someone said it was told to them (a parent) - TEA is trying to help. Please go HERE TO INDEPENDENT STUDY FILES - it is currently broken off by grade level. I personally started some of the files and with time, and with some help, we can make premade packets that anyone can use. Please feel free to add items if you already have packets and check out the easy first page that all you need to do is print out one for each day, add the students name and dates and attach to a packet. If you would like to help out with packets let me know as well.  
• Secondary - Our Secondary directors (middle school and HS directors) have set up meetings to meet with Dr. Chris Matos over the coming year. By having these meetings we are above to also bring concerns/ issues which allows us to work on the solutions together, faster. 
  • Middle - 
    • Lack of curriculum for middle school areas - please FILL OUT THIS SURVEY - if you do not have all (or any) curriculum for your level and let us know what you are having to do or create to make teaching work for you in your classrooms. 
    • Issues with safety and students who may have some violent tendencies. Please make sure your site reps know if anything that is not OK, or unsafe, is happening in your classrooms. We are here to help and want to make sure that everyone is in a few working environments (not to mention Ed. Code and Board Policy that state that as well). Everyone should have access to our Violence Protection Act Reporting Form. Your reps were all given QR codes that will go directly to the site, you print, fill out and send to your Admin., Rafael Plascencia and keep a copy for yourself. Then ask the admin. What the plan is to assure your safety and your students' safety. You may also CC TEA and let us know what is happening. 
  • High School - Please also FILL OUT THIS SURVEY  regarding the start of school, numbers, and curriculum, or items needed for students.  
  • While H.S. brought this up - it could apply to all members. Regarding observations and evaluations. 
    • Evaluations/ Observations - California Ed. Code 44664 may be found below and the primary portion of this was written to help our admin, not our teachers, and the short version is that - an administrator may evaluate/ and formally observe you any year they chose. The Ed. Code makes it easier for them so that THEY do not have to try and get every staff member in yearly. Some principals love to formally evaluate and will look to do the whole staff every other year. Some principles are new and want to see who is teaching on their site. This is within the scope of their abilities and within the districts, per Ed. code to allow it. Ed. Code wording is as follows: 

      •  (a) Evaluation and assessment of the performance of each certificated employee shall be made on a continuing basis as follows:

      • (1) At least once each school year for probationary personnel.

      • (2) At least every other year for personnel with permanent status.

      • (3) At least every five years for personnel with permanent status who have been employed at least 10 years with the school district, are highly qualified, if those personnel occupy positions that are required to be filled by a highly qualified professional by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301, et seq.), as defined in 20 U.S.C. Sec. 7801, and whose previous evaluation rated the employee as meeting or exceeding standards, if the evaluator and certificated employee being evaluated agree. The certificated employee or the evaluator may withdraw consent at any time.
        (b) The evaluation shall include recommendations, if necessary, as to areas of improvement in the performance of the employee. 

• OUR CONTRACT - EVALUATION (article 11)
  • Please remember that there are strict timelines for evaluations/ observations - 
  • Please see the picture below and for this current year:
    • 20 Days after commencement of work was September 8th, 2025. 
    • 40 Days after commencement of work is October 6th, 2025. 

• All Levels - 

  • On Mental Health - Please reach out and remember we have built in items that may be able to help. There are resources with our insurance company and within CTA/NEA. There are also leaves that may be taken. This is a job, one that is more like a calling, but we must make sure we are safe and sound with ourselves first, then we can teach second. 

  • Independent Study - 

    • While it is part of California Ed. Code (51744-51749.6) - There are few things that we HAVE to do by Ed. Code, but there are also ways to hopefully make it easier, if not now then soon. 

    • You MUST be told 10 days in advance that you need to have one. If it is not 10 days in advance, then it can wait until they return. 

    • Yes, each day does have to have a cover page for each day that the child is out. An easier way is to have all general assignments on the handout with the minutes required, not deep explanations and print those out, keep them safe and you can be set for many packets faster. 

    • It has to be standards based but does not need to be what you are currently teaching. 

    • It does have to be the same amount of time that you would have taught them in your classroom. 

TEA is currently trying to accumulate packet materials and start assisting in making packets for you. Currently, there are some items in the TK-5th grade files in this Google file - GOOGLE FILE FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY. Each grade has their own files within that file. If you have anything that you think would help, please feel free to add it in. If you have already made packets and are willing to share - we would love that as well. This is a Google drive owned by myself, so all items will be available to TEA members and belong to TEA. If you would like to help make ready made packets let me know. It may take some time, but ideally I would like to make it so that everyone has it easier - it just will take some time. For those that are not built out as well yet, - we are trying to find easy to print and use as fast as possible. 

• CTA Aspiring Educators members receive: 
  • CTA Aspiring Educators I Choose to Teach statewide newsletter 
  • California Educator – CTA’s statewide professional magazine 
  • NEA Today  – national professional newspaper 
  • Tomorrow’s Teachers  publications 
  • They have CTA protection 
    • $1,000,000 liability insurance and legal protection when you work with students as a part of your preparation to be a teacher 
    • A life insurance benefit that increases with each year of continuous CTA membership up to $2,000 
    • $1,000 accidental death and dismemberment insurance 
    • Low rates on auto, homeowners/renters insurance 
    • Disaster Relief Fund through FACT provides grants and no-cost interest loans to teachers who are victims of natural disasters in the state 
    • They have access to Professional Services 
    • Legal assistance on specified credential matters 
    • Research services – studies, publications, etc. 
    • Key job contacts 
    • Salary-schedule information 
    • Workshops and conferences 
    • Scholarships available 
    • They receive similar Economic Services as full time CTA members.  
    • Credit union privileges 
    • Discount on movie tickets, museums, amusement park entrance fees, new and used cars through the auto purchasing program, cruises, hotels, rental cars and vacation packages.

• Our Updated Special Education Team - over the past summer TEA was filling committees and revamping to keep making sure that as a local we are moving forward and working to bring in and have more member leaders work on behalf of the greater good - OUR UNION. Our Sped Committee now has three people at the helm representing all three levels of membership and three diverse levels of special education. Our new Sped. Solutions Chairs: Katie Bernal (Beckman) - SLP; Cassie Lopez (Columbus Tustin) SDC; Victoria Miller (Arroyo) SAI - They have already started planning and moving forward with ideas. The first meeting where all sped members can attend will be in November. In the meantime, please make sure to reach out to any of our new chairs, and myself, and let’s all work on what the issues are, make things follow the ed. Code and make sure that our teachers and students are being treated with respect and great teaching and learning environments. They will be sending out a survey soon to members who are Special Education focused and watch for the invite to their very first meeting invite - all are welcome. If you would like to be even more involved please reach out to them or myself and we would love to have you join us. 
• The Sped Meetings for the Year to put on your calendars - all meetings are 3:45-5:00pm at the TEA office. 
  • November 12th
  • January 28th
  • March 4th
  • April 15th (or annual Interactive Bargaining Session)
  • May 20th 
• Please remember our Sped MOU - it is an agreed upon document with TUSD and continues to be valuable and work in the favor of all involved. That means that all parties, TUSD and TEA, should be adhering to it. 
  • The planning days are not already part of what you get; these are separate and new and meant to help you with reports, IEP’s etc. 
  • IEP meetings can be held during the day, especially if they are going to go long and they cannot start any later than 15 minutes after the end of the day. 
  • We do have sped task force groups that should be meeting and TEA has one representative in each group, but the groups are made up of TEA members. Any and all of you who volunteer and work on the group may talk to TEA and work with TEA while working with TUSD, We are all better when working together. 
  • TEA/ TUSD Special Ed MOU Click here or on the first page below to see the full document. 

• LGBTQ + Issues - OCTOBER 24-26, 2025; Hyatt Regency, Orange County - The 17th annual CTA conference addressing LGBTQ+ issues involving educators, students and the community. This conference serves as a venue to discuss and learn about a variety of topics and issues affecting the entire membership, our students and communities. Sessions will focus on Awareness, Capacity & Skill Building, and Taking Action & Organizing. It is local this year, so it’s much easier to attend. I have heard it’s the best CTA conference that is held (I’m going this year to find out for myself). Come join me there - CLICK HERE or the picture above for a link.  

SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE - October 31-November 2nd, 2025: SFO Marriott in Burlingame. This conference is presented by CTA’s Four Ethnic Caucuses. CTA understands the significance of unity, and this conference is all about harnessing the strength of our collective experiences, cultures, and communities to create positive change. The Solidarity Conference will feature general sessions and workshops where educators and community leaders will share their stories, insights, and strategies for empowering our communities and classrooms. Attend the conference and connect with educators who share your passion for equity, diversity, and social justice. Let’s come together, build power through culture, community, and connections, and continue our journey toward a brighter future for education. CLICK HERE or the picture above for more information. 

• NEW TEACHER (SOUTH) - February 20-22, 2025; Hilton OC in Costa Mesa. The NEW Teacher conference is for educators in their first three years in the profession. The conference has everything that educators need to be successful in their first years of teaching, including sessions about classroom management, creating engaging classrooms, lesson plans and ideas, connecting with your union, student loan forgiveness information, member benefits, project grants and more. Your experience at the New Educator Weekend is both equal parts educational and transformational. You’ll learn new skills and find solutions to real-life challenges. You’ll leave the conference feeling inspired, motivated and with a knowledge of what you need to do to be even more successful on Monday morning in your classroom. We are fortunate to have it in Orange County so it’s close enough for us to send many teachers. Please click the picture above or CLICK HERE for more information.

MEMBER BENEFITS  - 

• Member Benefit Services - One of the perks of membership are the benefits that you have access to. Through our state (CTA) and national (NEA) partners we have access to a multitude of resources. CTA and NEA Member Benefits provide exclusive benefits and programs to our members and their families.  You can find discounts on travel, car rentals, school supplies, information about retirement planning and other exclusive member benefits programs. For a brief video of the different benefits that CTA/NEA has to offer, please visit www.CTAMemberBenefits.org/video.Check out the member benefits webpages by clicking the pictures below:

• Member Benefits Book from CTA Member Benefits - Please click the picture below, or the LINK HERE to get a digital copy of the book CTA member benefits puts out. This will give you access to ways to save money all year round using your membership number. From renting cars, downloading an app for shopping discounts, to The Calm app. All of this being accessed and used will recoup any money you pay for membership. The car rental alone is the membership fee, or most of it, alone. 

• The Standard - Is having a special OPEN ENROLLMENT for all of the OC area from October 1 - November 30. This is the time if you missed our open enrollment last year, to sign up!! This means you have the opportunity to sign up, without medical questions asked, and be a part of the only CTA endorsed disability insurance. It is also a chance if you have The Standard and would like to up your life insurance coverage, it’s a time to do that as well. Educators do not pay into the statewide disability, which means we must rely on outside coverage. If you are considering having a baby or you just want to make sure that you are protected should anything happen, click the picture above, CLICK HERE FOR THE STANDARD, or follow the QR code and sign up to talk to someone and enroll. 

• FREE CALM APP - It might seem like one more thing to do, but don’t forget about our CTA CALM APP - a free subscription just for being a CTA member. And you can give membership to up to 5 members of your family once you log on. Your Calm subscription gives you unlimited access to their full library of resources. It may not be therapy, but you can listen to music, sounds, have a book lull you to sleep by a narrator of your choice, they even have a kids section. I was listen this weekend as I worked on sections of this update. There is so much but they have a new section on pet inspiration and sound baths, so the update is taking much longer than usual. They also have ways to use in the classroom. All of this may be found on your member benefits section of the CTA website also. 
  • 30 Days of Mindfulness in the Classroom (K-5)
  • 30 Days of Mindfulness in the Classroom (6-12)
  • Calm Mindfulness Lessons for Students

• And remember to sign up and check out your member benefits before you make plans for Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks - or just to visit a theme park or buy yourself something nice because you deserve it.

Please Remember - Safety For You

• Each and everyone of us deserves to have a safe working environment. If you are having issues beyond a basic incident report on site - i.e. kicking, punching, questionable safety for you or other students, even mental health issues - we do have (since July of 2024) the Violence Prevention Plan Report that may be filled out and sent to the district. This one page report, once complete, is sent to your Admin., District HR (Rafael Plascencia) and you keep a copy for yourself. 
• Here is the whole document to read to see what it covers - READ HERE please read over the 8 page document and let TEA know if there are any issues with safety on your sites.
• The final page of the document states a Violent Incident Report - but upon reading the whole document you will see that it’s similar to a basic form, but with a little more...umph for us.  i Here is what the incident report looks like - please click the link HERE or the picture itself, to also get a one page copy of the incident report. 

• You should all have a QR code on your TEA board for easy access to this document so that you can scan, copy and fill out anytime you need to. Or, you can always print out a few and keep them with other documents on your desk - It is preferrable to have and not need, than need and not have. Please see the QR form you should have on your TEA boards below. 

  

Congratulations to the three teachers who won last month's opportunity drawing. I will coming by the following teachers rooms to help them in class, or do whatever they would like me to do for a few hours. 

1. Kim Wittmann - Tustin Memorial Academy
2. Stephanie Policare - Hicks Canyon
3. Mayra Aguilera DeSouza - Guin Foss

Thank you for all that you do daily to improve Tustin and thank you for every positive thing you do, even when you are too tired, to make sure that your students, out district and our community is a better place. 

May you all have a wonderful rest of your week! 

In Unity and Appreciation,
Lisa Hickman
President, Tustin Educators Association